Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Headquarters OF the Committee
EaVing the National Drill in
Charge Full Of Activity.
& Congressman who Had Not Drawn any
of His Salary for Over a Year,
Pension ufico Work.

Correspondence of the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, March %. - Although
the weather continues cold the days are
bright and pleasant, and evidences of the
opening Of spring time abound upon every
hand. The buds are bursting upon the
earlier va rietY Of trees, and crocuses and
other blossoming plants are in full BIOS
som in the park snd public grounds.
AS the time approaches for The opening
of the great national drill the heGdquar-
tiers of the committee, having the matter
in charge, presents a very active appear
ance Military organ cations from every
state in the Union have notified the
committee of their intention Cf p4rtici-
pqting in the contests, and it is prob
able that ct Ieast 10, 900 men Will BE in
Guided ia the grand review, to be held
upon the closing day Although the sue
cess of the undertaking had long since
been assured, tee uncertainty which has
existed regar ting the concessions to be
expected from railroad companies, mas
prevented many military organizations
from nearing the expense Of the Jour
ney. Since it has been decided that all
of the trunk lines Of the
country are to carry passengers
at less than One-half fare, the committee
has been juDilant, and there is 10
longer doubt but that the national cap
ital will be taxed to lis uttermOst to &C
cOmmOdate It's guests during "drill
week " As the last day of the drill will
occur upon Decoration Day, il is proposed
that the visiting military shall visit the
national cemetery at Arlington, and par
ticiDate in the decoration ceremonies, and
as the route by the LOnglBridge is circuit
Gus, a pOntoon bridge will be thrown
across the river at the foot of G street for
use upon that occasion.
There seems to be no relation between
the railroad collision aud the Patent
Office, but one of the direct results of the
railroad disasters in Vermont and Aassa
chusetts, has been to stimulate the in
ventive minds throughout the country,
and they have set at work to invent some
thing that Will supply an acknowledged
public need, and the Patent Office is being
flooded with applications for patents for
a great variety of devices for modifying
the danger incident to the present means
OF heating railway cars. No less than $50
applications of this class have been re
ceived during the past six weeks, and the
number is increasing daily.
One of the stable institutions of the
national government is the office of the
Sergeant-at-A Arms of the House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t is at this office that the
employees Of the House iside of the CAPT
toll receive their monthly payments, and
the office is open the year around. Among
the members in the city who visited the
office a day or two since, W Representa-
tive W. L. Scott of Pennsylvania. Mr.
Scott had rot drawn any portion of his
sslary for more than year, and he re-
Ceived from the cashier $4,000, which is
said TO have been the largest sum ever
paid to single Individual in the history
Of the office.
The work of the pension Office is in
Creasing so rapidly that there is q likeli-
hood of the office being swamped unless
there is a let up. During the past week
6247 new claims were filed; 2347 claims
were rejected, and 2I47 allowed; and the
total number now pending is 287, 1877.
The Mexican pension claims are coming
in in large numbers, and 1t is not seen
how 1t is possible to dispose of the mum
Der before the end Of the fiscal year,
ending June 80, 1888. The $4,000,
900, and over, appropriated for this class
of claims must be paid out before that
time, or else whatever balance is on hand
be turned into the treasury. This will
probably neCessitate another apprOpria-
ton by Congress as it is next to impOssi
BILE to finally dispose of the 40 900 claims
which it is estimated will be fled. The
claimants are beginning to unders and
the situation, and are accordingly press
ing their claims for all they are worth.